Apparatus for softening hats



Sept. 7 1926.

J. F. DORAN APPARATUS FOR SOFTENING HATS .2 A Sheets-Sheet 1 F vwemflofo sept. 7, 192e,

1,599,080 n 1. F. DoRAN APPARATUS Fon soFTENING HATS Filed Dec. 26 1919 '2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented sept,y 7,1926.

` STATES sur orrido-EQ JAMES F. DORAN, or DmvBUnY, CONNECTICUT.

ArrAuAfrus non Application filed December 26, 1919'. Serial No. 347,405.V

. vvhchfshal'l 'belpnactical andreadilyfcarried onzand `present various features'V of advantage. i Other obectsvvill'be in part l oibviuis and in partfpointed out hereinafter. 1

The invention accordingly consists vin the .features of.w construction, combinations of elements, arrangementof'parts and in the .several steps and .relationlbetween such steps, all'as vvillbe hereinafter illustratively set forth andthe scope of the application vof -which will 'be indicated in the following InA Figure 1 away ,Figure 3 isa vertical section taken on" the f i Smilarreferenoe andi-ts mounting. i K characters refer to simi-f Figure 4 is 4a detail side :elevation par.

L,tia-lly inlsectionshowing an applying devicev f iai1 parts/throughout the several views ofk ita-il, there is the. drawing. N p p vReferriizig Anorvvhtofthese drawings in dedi-agrammatically Aindicated in l Figline 1- ,at 10 source of fluid supplyV adapted tjo,V furnish `fluid kunder pressure. From this sourceof supply the fluid, Which may/.be...air'althoughfor' most `fof the features of this inventionsteamy may be employed, isj ledA through the valve. 11V ofV the 'ondinary globe type.

j comprising asupportind portion v13 hav-ing]v 'i after described. I!

. lsupport 13 Another ,the accompanying' drawings in whichv is. shown one of` .various possible @embodiments offv 'themechanical.l ,features of this f' invention, 'i in place'byA a 'bolt'.ZbJ

Yisa ,side elevation with the aps,

device and.V its attachments broken flanges. 17 of the form indicated in Figure 2 ofthe drawings. These Walls are such 'asr to4 lead the fluid Whiclrenters as hereinafter described, at 18 through a circuitous' passage indicated by thel arrows. 'This passage first comprises the outer portion 18 through which the fluid circulates about the apparatus to the port 19, fromuhichvit passes intothe next inner passage 20 making a reverse `turn through the port.l In gcircu'lating 4through the passa-ge il it makes another reverse turn 4`at the port 21 circulating the reverse direction to the port/22, atW-hich It vagain'reniersesj and traverses ,theY passage 23 until it Vvreaches the outlet port -Ll posi tionedv above the inner end ofthe passage ,'23, as shown in Figure 3 of theidraivings.

These various passages formed by 'the flanges or Walls 1T are Vclosed atthe top by a hollow casting 25' which isbolted upon the topof the casting. .This hollovv casting is preferably filledV withmineral'-wool.

jas at 26 in :order to. avoid undesirable radiationof heat, and iscoveredby fa cap '259L hel-d The apparatus immediately fabove de-v scribed is provided With a gas hea-ter 27 .1 wvhich'iuay be fed by a suitabilepipe E2-8 and kto-p plan view ofthe parts which lservesmtoj apply intense heat .to .the u'ndersidefof the casting 16. g j f I.Taking`,up now tl'iefmatter 'of the connections between the valve ijand the apparatus immediately above described, reference isjm'adeto Figure l in which 'is' shown an elbow '29 connectedlby .a suitablev piping `with the valve 11. This elbow isprovic'ledwith a downward extension 3Q leading to adrip l cock 31, butti-ts mainfoutletfis to 'a pipe 32 connectedas by the nipple '33 with a =chamber formed 'in the lower portion 13 of the casting v16. This chamber, vshown, at .Belin Figure 1, is vprovided `with a'pair of screens or strainingdevices and 36. The screen '135 is held upwardlyacrossthe outletfport fromcha-mber 34: byA means of av collar 37 and the Ascreen 36 lis held ,downwardlyV against the Vinner end of the nipple' at 3S' by means of a collarfSQ, the' collars 37KV andr 39 being resilienltly urged apart bythe spring 4'0. This 'entire .device is readily removable by unscrewing the nipple', yand may be cleansed lor renewed andl quickly re-assemb'led. It

tends vto screen out'all'impu-rities, andalso,

particles of moisture which collect on .the

Vunderside of, the screens 'drip dcwnwardly and may be removed through the drip cock 3l. It may also be noted at this point that if the drip cock 3l be left closed and any moisture accumulate at any part of the api paratus while it is not in use, it slowly drips purified uid is led through port 24 and a passage 4l cored out in the upper casting 25.

From 4l an elbow 42 conducts the fluid to :i

valve 43 by which the discharge is controlled. On valve 43 is mounted an applying device which is shown only in Figure 4 of the drawings. This applying device comprises a casting 44 to which is secured as by screw 45 a bracket 46. The outer end of this casting has an opening preferably of oval form, but the fluid in passing through such opening is forced to traverse a sheetof asbestos cloth 47 and a superposed piece of wire screening 48, both held in position as by means of the wire 49, clamping them into agroove 50.

Hinged to the bracket 46 at pin 46FL are a series of plates, here two in number, 5l and 52. The innermost of these plates is provided with an opening 53 of the oval or other desired form and substantially smaller than the opening whch would be provided .if the plates were both removed. The outer plate is provided with an opening 54 of an even smaller area. The supporting pin 55 supports one or both of these plates swung backwardly out of operative position, or this may also be done by a shoulder 56 on the plates if desired. In this manner three different sizes of eective openings are afforded according as both plates are swung back, the inner plate is swung forward into act-ion, or both plates are swung forward. The number of plates could obviously be increased at will.

Considering now the method of use of the apparatus above described, the fluid under pressure passes through the valve ll and particles of moisture and impurities removed by means of the screens or strainers 36 and 35. It then passes into the laby rinthine passage and due to the conforma-v tion of this passage, it is further dried by centrifugal action, the moisture being drained away through the inlet passage 34a. During this stage, furthermore, the fluid is intensely heated and if steam should be employed, it is given many degrees of superheat. On leaving this passage,its discharge may be controlled by the valve 43 and aiplied by the device shown tanticularly in Figure 4 of the drawings. rl`his device is of such size and shape as to localize the highly heated and dried air, or in some cases steam, to the precise portion of the hat which it is desired to soften. Furthermore, it is given a final purification by the asbestos cloth and screen through which it is discharged. In softening hats it is desired to apply heat without undue moisture, the heated fluid alone performing the softening function. Furthermore, the area which it is desired to affect is subject to wide variation. Hence the plates 5l and 52 are so manipiu lated as to afford an opening` of substantially the desired size. Over this opening the hat is held and the jet of heated fluid so directed as to produce the most efficient softening effect.

Although as hereinbefore noted, steam may be employed, there are certain advantages inherent in air, due to the greater degree of dryness which it may be given, and other factors.

It is to be noted that full drainage for the entire apparatus is provided, the applying device being vertically arranged and all parts leading thereto being free from depressions in which water may gather and leading backwardly to the drip cock 3l.. It is also to be noted that the several purifying devices 35, 36 and 47 are readily removed as for cleansing and renewal. By this carcful cleansing act-ion, minute particles of dirt and other foreign matter are removed, whereas otherwise they would be driven into the softening hat and necessitate cleansing of the latter, or in some cases permanently injure or discolor it.

lt will thus be seen that there is provided apparatus in which the several mechanical objects of this invention are achieved and that there is herein set forth an art in which other objects are attained.

As various possible embodiments of thc mechanical fea-tures of this invention might be made and as various changes might be made in that embodiment herein set forth, and as the art herein described might be varied, all without departing from the scope of my invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting` sense.

I claim as my invention l. In hat softening apparatus, in combination, a device having a passage for fluid therethrough, means adapted to heat said fluid flowing through said passage, and a device connected to said passage for apn plying said heated fluid to a hat including an outlet opening against which thehat is adapted to be placed and means for rvarying the cross section of said opening'.

2. In hat softening apparatus, in combination, a device having a passageY for fluid therethrough, means vfor heatingA said fluid flowing through said passage, and a des vice connected to said passage for applying said heated fluid to a hat, including an outlet opening having a fibrous member stretched thereover and means' exterior thereof' for varying the cross sectional Aarea ofthe stream passing therefrom.

3.' In hat softening apparatus, in combination,` a device having a passage for fluid therethrough, means for heating said fluid flowing through said passage, and a device for lapplying saidrheated fluid to a hat Connected to said passage and including a plurality of superposed plates having succes# sively smaller openings before which the hat is adapted to be held.

In testimony Whereof,` have signed my name to this specification this 11th day of December, 1919.

JAMES F. DURAN. 

